Jeremy Hunt, the Health Secretary, has raised the prospect of allowing more
Welsh patients to use health services in England.

He has asked officials to examine the effect of increased demand on English
healthcare from residents in the borders and instructed them to consider the
possibility of allowing other patients to attend English hospitals.

The move is the latest salvo in a battle over the state of devolved public
services run by the Labour administration in Wales. It comes after a row
over waiting times and high mortality rates that has led Mr Hunt to warn of
a “tragedy for